Exploring Programs at Georgia Northwestern Technical College

Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) provides a wide array of educational opportunities for students seeking career-focused training and academic advancement. With a commitment to accessible and diverse learning options, GNTC offers programs spanning various fields, supported by comprehensive student services and resources.

Diverse Academic Programs

Georgia Northwestern Technical College offers credit courses in over 200 degrees, diplomas, and certificates. These programs are designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge necessary for success in today's workforce. The college's academic offerings are organized into several key areas:

Aviation and Industrial Technologies: Programs in this area focus on providing hands-on training and technical expertise in fields such as aviation maintenance, manufacturing, and engineering technology.
Business and Cyber-Related Technologies: This area offers programs related to business administration, accounting, computer information systems, and cybersecurity, preparing students for careers in the rapidly evolving digital economy.
Nursing and Health Technologies: Students interested in healthcare can pursue degrees, diplomas, and certificates in nursing, allied health professions, and healthcare support services.
Public Service Technologies: This area includes programs in criminal justice, fire science, and emergency medical services, training students for careers in public safety and community service.

Detailed information about specific programs, including course descriptions, admission requirements, and program lengths, is available in the GNTC catalog.

Flexible Learning Options

Recognizing the diverse needs of its student population, GNTC offers convenient course schedules, including day, evening, and online options. Many courses in the college's programs are offered either partially or completely online, providing students with the flexibility to balance their education with work and other commitments.

GNTC offers three different delivery methods for its online courses:

Online: Courses are delivered entirely online, with no on-campus requirements.
Hybrid: Courses combine online learning with some on-campus meetings.
Web-Enhanced: Traditional on-campus courses are supplemented with online resources and activities.

A lot of GNTC's courses are offered on more than one campus, further enhancing accessibility for students across its service area.

Adult Education Programs

The Adult Education program at GNTC offers instruction in Adult Learning Centers throughout its service area. Instructional areas include preparation for High School Equivalency exams (GED® and HiSET®), adult secondary education, adult basic education, and English as a Second Language. These centers provide a supportive learning environment with modern computer labs, study materials and resources, and professional adult education staff with day and evening programs.

Student Support Services

Advisement is a vital part of your academic career here at GNTC. You will meet with an advisor when you first start at Georgia Northwestern. GNTC provides comprehensive support services to help students succeed academically and personally. These services include:

Academic Advising: Students receive guidance from advisors to help them choose the right program, plan their course schedule, and navigate the college's policies and procedures.
Career Services: GNTC offers career counseling, job search assistance, and resume and interview preparation to help students transition from college to the workforce.
Disability Services: The college provides accommodations and support services to students with disabilities to ensure they have equal access to educational opportunities.
Tutoring Services: GNTC offers free tutoring in a variety of subjects to help students improve their academic performance.

Transfer Opportunities

Are you looking to continue your education after graduating from GNTC? We have numerous articulation agreements with other colleges. An articulation agreement is an agreement to transfer credits from one educational institution to another. GNTC has established articulation agreements with numerous colleges and universities, making it easier for students to transfer their credits and continue their education at a four-year institution. These agreements ensure that students receive appropriate credit for their coursework at GNTC and can seamlessly transition to a bachelor's degree program.

Dual Enrollment for High School Students

High school students have a fantastic opportunity to earn college credits while still in high school through our Dual Enrollment program. The best part is tuition and most fees are covered for eligible students in the program. GNTC's Dual Enrollment program allows eligible high school students to earn college credits while still in high school. This program provides a head start on college and can save students and their families time and money. Tuition and most fees are covered for eligible students in the program.

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Office of the Registrar

Ready to graduate or need a transcript? Do not forget about the Office of the Registrar. The Office of the Registrar is responsible for maintaining student records, processing transcripts, and managing graduation. Students can contact the Office of the Registrar for assistance with these and other related matters.

Health Technologies Division

The following associate of applied science (A.A.S.) degree, diploma, and certificate programs are located in the Health Technologies Division. All programs are not offered on every campus. As with all GNTC programs, students interested in Health Technologies Division programs should consult specific program information in this catalog to see where the program is offered and visit or call the Admissions Office to discuss program admission requirements and entry dates. The following is a list of the Health Technologies degrees, diplomas, and certificates that GNTC offers. The letters following the program names identify the campuses where the programs are taught. Program lengths vary from three months to two years.

Admission to Health Technologies Programs

I. Complete all requirements for entry in the health technology program of choice. Health Technologies programs each have additional entrance requirements or pre-occupational curriculum that should be taken prior to taking occupational curriculum or receiving official acceptance to the program. Advisors will discuss these requirements with their students. Specific requirements are listed under the program descriptions. When a student is in the final semester of completing courses, he/she will complete a form in the Office of Student Affairs requesting a review of course work at the end of that semester. This form will be available to students during the third week of the semester. All students who complete their pre-occupational curriculum with a “C” or better, apply for addition to the Health Technologies eligibility pool, and view the mandatory online Health Technologies program orientation will be added to the Health Technologies eligibility pool. If a student has not satisfactorily completed the pre-occupational curriculum (example: did not earn a grade of “C” or higher in any required pre-occupational course or did not view the mandatory Health Technologies program orientation), the student’s name will not be placed in the Health Technologies eligibility pool for his/her program of choice. Once the entrance exam is completed, each student’s total score will be calculated, and he/she can be entered into the Health Technologies eligibility pool. During the semester before the semester students are selected to begin occupational curriculum (for the program selected), the Health Technologies administration staff will use the competitive admissions policies and procedures for each individual program to select those most qualified for entry into the program. *Students on Health Technologies waiting lists. Current health students who entered the college several semesters ago, and whose names remain on waiting lists for entry into specific programs, will continue to be admitted to individual health programs from the waiting list until the waiting list for each health program is exhausted. If an applicant is unable to enroll in the semester for which he/she receives notification to enter, he/she will be allowed to defer one time only. This deferral will allow the applicant to enter with the next class selected for his/her chosen program of study. Upon completion of all items (A-C) above, students will receive official notification of acceptance and directions on how to complete enrollment into the Health Technologies program of choice. Attend mandatory programmatic orientation prior to beginning occupational curriculum. In the orientation session, you will find directions on how to complete all necessary steps to enter the Health Technologies program of choice. Return completed Medical Report Form certifying ability to meet physical and mental performance requirements. Obtain approved Criminal History Report if selected by a program. A completed report from an approved provider must be submitted prior to entry into any Health Technologies program. Complete a Health Stream or Tennessee Clinical Placement System TCPS orientation if attending the Walker County Campus. The cost is ten dollars ($10).

II. Admission to the Health Technologies Division will be in one of the following categories. Learning Support/Provisional Admissions: Persons who seek to enroll at Georgia Northwestern Technical College and do not satisfy required admission standards for entry into the Health Technologies programs are classified as Learning Support or Provisional admission status as defined in the Admissions Status section of the Admissions Policy. Health Technologies - Pre-occupational: All students taking pre-occupational curriculum in preparation for admission into a Health Technologies program are enrolled in either Health Care Assistant (HA21), Health Care Science (HS21).

III. Certain pre-occupational curriculum are considered to be of key importance to program completion and are only valid within a set time frame preceding occupational program entry. Students who have completed bachelor degrees, have been employed three of the past five years in an allied health occupation, involved in direct patient care, or are currently in the Health Technologies - (program designated) category may apply for a duration extension at the discretion of the Health Technologies Division faculty. Competency tests are administered each semester for persons wishing to establish credit for courses they have taken, for which they received a grade of “C” or better, which have exceeded the course validity limit. These courses may be transfer courses or courses taken at GNTC. Upon petition from a student, credit by examination may be given. If circumstantial evidence, such as experiential learning, indicates the probability of special technical aptitude or knowledge on the part of the petitioning student, a written, oral, and/or performance examination will be developed and administered by an instructor of the course. Permission to take such an examination must be granted by a health technology or nursing and allied health instructor. Students who score 80% or higher on all components of the examination will be awarded a grade of “EX” for the course. The “EX” indicates credit by examination. The “EX” carries no grade points, but the number of credit hours normally assigned to the course will be awarded. A student is eligible to challenge a course only one time. The challenge exam must be taken before the first day of the class in which the student is enrolled.

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I. II. A High school diploma or GED® is required for all Health Technologies programs. III. Applicants must be able to attend school regularly and meet the physical and mental performance requirements of their course, including those required at the medical affiliates. All Health Technologies programs require completion of the Medical Report Form after receiving official acceptance into the program. IV. Applicants for all health programs must make the minimum required scores in reading, writing, and numeric skills (including algebra for some programs) on the Admission Placement Test (ASSET/COMPASS) or one of the approved entrance tests (example, SAT, ACT) to be admitted as regular students. Generally, students are not admitted to Health Technologies programs on a provisional basis. Refer to the Placement Cut Scores chart for required placement test scores for Health Technologies programs. V. Upon being accepted into the occupational curriculum of your program of study each student in Health Technologies must have a criminal background check and a drug screen conducted by an approved agency. You will be notified by your program faculty of when these actions must be completed. Students may contact the Health Technologies Division administration staff (Floyd County Campus) at 706-295-6882 or 706-295-6966 or the Health Technologies Division administration staff (Walker County Campus) at 706-764-3851 or 706-764-3520 to obtain a list of approved agencies. Once the approved background check and drug screen have been completed, any questionable results will be reviewed by the clinical affiliates at which the students would be performing their clinical practicum. If the clinical affiliates cannot allow a student to participate at their sites due to the results of the criminal background check and/or drug screen, the program faculty will make an effort to place the GNTC student at another clinical affiliate. If the faculty is unable to find a clinical affiliate that will allow the student to participate in clinical practicum at their sites, the student will not be able to enter or complete the Health Technologies program. Note: Some Health Technologies programs have additional requirements, such as additional course completion, additional test scores, professional credentials, or state licensure prerequisites. Please refer to the specific program description for more detailed information.

Technical Standards for Health Technologies Programs

The Health Technologies Division faculty has specified the following non-academic criteria (technical standards) which all applicants and enrolled students are expected to meet in order to participate in the Health Technologies Division programs and professional practice. The ability to meet the physical technical standards is documented by the student signing the technical standards declaration form. A student is considered compliant when the student has signed the Technical Standards form applicable to his/her program area which declares that they are able to perform the technical Standards with or without accommodations. The form also contains contact information for the ADA coordinator that serves their campus. All candidates for a Health Technologies degree must meet intellectual, physical, and social core performance standards necessary to provide safe patient care in an independent manner.

Critical Thinking: Critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment. Examples include identification of cause/effect relationships in clinical situations, development of plans of care, transferring knowledge from one situation to another, evaluating outcomes; problem solving; prioritizing; and using short and long term memory.
Interpersonal: Interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural and intellectual backgrounds.
Communication: Communication abilities sufficient for verbal and written interaction with others.
Mobility: Physical abilities sufficient for movement from room to room and in small spaces.
Motor Skills: Gross and fine motor abilities sufficient for providing safe, effective nursing and patient care.
Hearing: Auditory ability sufficient for monitoring and assessing health needs.
Visual: Visual ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary in nursing care.
Tactile: Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment.
Emotional: Emotional stability sufficient to tolerate rapidly changing conditions and environmental stress.

*Is additionally documented by satisfactory completion of the pre-occupational course requirements. **Is additionally documented by satisfactory completion of the ASSET/COMPASS entrance exam requirements of the Health Technology programs.

Accreditation and Approvals

Some individual programs within the Health Technologies Division hold program-specific accreditations or state required division approvals. 9355 - 113th St. 233 N. The Radiologic Technology program at Georgia Northwestern Technical College is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology. Additional information regarding program effectiveness data may be obtained by contacting the JRCERT.

Course Requirements

Courses taken during a student’s pre-occupational period provide a foundation of knowledge built upon later during the occupational program courses. Pre-occupational courses must be taken before a student enters the program of choice for which they qualify. Occupational courses must be taken after a student is accepted and enters the program for which they qualify. Specific pre-occupational and occupational course requirements for each degree and diploma program are listed on the following pages.

Privacy and Data Security

GNTC cannot ensure absolute privacy. We are not responsible for any breach of security or for any actions of any third parties which result from any such security breach. Cookies - small text files downloaded to a visitor’s computer where site customizations, preferences, and user IDs are stored. The only personal information a cookie can contain is information that you supply. We use cookies to help us tailor our site to your needs, to deliver a better, more personalized service. In addition, we may use cookies to track the pages on our sites visited by our users. IP Address - Internet Protocol Address - a unique number usually assigned by an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to identify computers connected to a network (either a local network or the internet, or both). Your IP address does not identify you personally to us. We do not sell or disclose the contact information of our users to third parties. GNTC will not disclose any personally identifiable information collected online to entities outside of GNTC system offices or colleges* except: (1) where you have given your permission; (2) where the information is considered public information under the Georgia Open Records Act O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et. seq., or other applicable laws; (3) where required to do so by other operation of law. In order to request information and materials, register or sign up for e-newsletters, or provide comments and suggestions, we may collect your contact information for the express purpose of fulfillment of the requested services. GNTC can use your IP address to compile site statistics and the popularity of its various pages and functions. GNTC will not attempt to match any personally identifiable information that you provide with your IP address unless there are reasonable grounds to believe that doing so may provide information that is relevant to or necessary as part of an investigation concerning the violation of a law or College policy. GNTC may also collect information regarding the type of browser and operating system used to access this site along with the internet address from which linked to the GNTC site, as well as links followed to other sites from the GNTC site. It will notify you of the following: 1. 2. What choices are available to you regarding the use of your data. 3. The security procedures in place to protect against the misuse of your information. 4. We are the sole owners of the information collected on this site. We will use your information to respond to you, regarding the reason you contacted us. You may opt-out of any future contacts from us at any time. We take precautions to protect your information. Wherever we collect sensitive information (such as credit card data), that information is encrypted and transmitted to us in a secure way. While we use encryption (SSL) to protect sensitive information transmitted online, we also protect your information offline. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, billing or customer service) are granted access to personally identifiable information. We use “cookies” on this site. Cookies enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our site. Some of our business partners may use cookies on our site (for example, we use Google for analytics). We implement the scripts (cookies) onto our web pages, however, we have no access to or control over the data once collected, and processed by our partner(s). This aggregated demographic information is shared with our partners and advertisers. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of such other sites. From time to time, we may request information via surveys. Participation in these surveys is completely voluntary and you may choose whether or not to participate and therefore disclose this information. Information requested may include contact information (such as name and shipping address), and demographic information (such as zip code, and age level).

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